The Tensai Generation
by allismine
Summary: -AR- To maintain martial equality, Shodaime Hokage once seized control of the world’s tailed beasts to spread their powers amongst ally villages. Decades later, an Uchiha unleashes a Bijuu upon Konoha, while a Senju enlists another. OCs, manga spoilers.
1. Nostalgia

-

Chapter One: Nostalgia

**Disclaimer:** _"Naruto", and all canon characters and characteristics remain the property and rights of Kishimoto Masashi. All I own is the writing itself, and any original features and / or attributes portrayed within said writing, including the original characters._

**A/N:** Here she is, the umpteenth rewrite of a long-neglected alternate reality fanfic. Neither the Narutoverse nor my original character deserved the crappy / boring / overused / repetitive storyline I made out for them; this fic series needed some _serious_ canon-deviation, and so that's what I'm trying to do. I really hope I wrote the characters okay for this chapter, though. xD Enjoy!

I--I

He still remembers the day the boy arrived.

It was the kind of day people living in a village of perpetual summer took for granted. Warm sunlight poured in through the forest canopy whilst a slow, graceful breeze swept past the leaves, a soft blue stain dyed the clear skies above. Even so, a certain someone's morning atmosphere was tainted with his inner anxiety, the typical uneasiness which came with the anticipation of a new teammate's arrival.

To be honest, this feeling of cautious enthusiasm was almost nostalgic--like a fresh graduate waiting for his Genin Squad leader to arrive.

The Captain opened a tired eye, remaining still as he kept his arms folded and his back leaning up against a tree. It was quiet in the training grounds, considering the dawn hour. Sharing the sentiments of his subordinate, he was surprised he even managed to arrive at the rendezvous point on time...come to think of it, this was probably one of the few events he wouldn't excuse himself to be late for.

"How are you feeling about this, Senpai?"

He remembered when he used to recoil whenever he heard that title, but those reactions have long since faded with the aid of repetition and time.

(It wasn't something he wanted to get used to. Made him feel old.)

Kakashi tipped his head back to rest against the bark, tilting his neck to lazily look over at his partner, who was sitting cross-legged on a spot across the grass.

Tenzou's expression hardened as their eyes met.

It was more than the new Jounin's presence they felt lying just around the corner.

-

The boy doesn't speak.

Cold chills trickle down Kakashi's spine, unsettling him; a sensation he hasn't felt in years. He hadn't been a witness to the Sharingan's activation since his youth, and its sudden appearance had stunned him, in spite of the fact he knew it was coming sooner or later. Kakashi curses himself for feeling overwhelmed, even if the lapse in composure was brief.

The boy's expression is unmoving; his breath never stilts, his hand never wavers. He maintains the same gaze as he swipes his arm in an impossibly swift movement, spraying the enemy's blood across the body of his ANBU uniform. All who were present knew these killings were unnecessary to the success of this mission, but the Uchiha never liked leaving traces of his presence behind. He was the epitome of indifference, unreluctant in the face of ensuring security. The prototype of the perfect Shinobi.

Itachi glances behind himself to see the look in his Captain's eyes.

Kakashi knows the boy means to speak with him.

They wait until Tenzou is out of earshot, an inconsiderate move which, in hindsight, may have done nothing more than contribute to Tenzou's initial distrust in Itachi. At this point, Tenzou could have easily used any number of undetectable eavesdropping techniques, or employed his seniority to approach Kakashi and request full disclosure of the conversation, but he does neither. Tenzou says nothing, for he knows the nature of this discussion is not one he is meant to be a part of.

His tone is much softer than Kakashi expects.

If his calculations were correct, Itachi was around four or five years old at the time of the incident, more than long enough to remember Obito, and all that had happened in Iwagakure. Fearing his subordinate was one of those clan members obsessive about the purity of his bloodline, Kakashi braces himself for the worst.

He finds Itachi's questions are nothing along these lines.

Unlike the other Uchiha, who had always been unsettled by the fact their Sharingan was being used within a body outside of the clan, Itachi appeared to understand the reason behind Obito's decision, and expressed no animosity towards Kakashi because of it. Surprisingly, this didn't seem to be the only thing Itachi disagreed with his family about.

Despite the infrequency of the phenomena, Kakashi soon becomes the only person Itachi ever speaks to, even if the boy's intent never did match the vacant expression on his face.

As the months went on, as the breaks between their conversations shorten to a single week, a few days, every other day, Kakashi realizes Itachi's demeanor never changes. At first it hadn't bothered the ANBU Captain, but as time passed, it made him wonder if Itachi honestly regarded this as trivial. Was he trying to lull his superior into a false sense of trust and security? Did he desire to spite the unspoken expectations of his family by associating with the outsider?

Kakashi once asked if there was a reason why Itachi decided to speak with him.

Itachi hesitates at first, yet delivers his answer without falter.

"Kakashi-sensei is a Hatake, which makes him a stranger to the ideals of the Uchiha clan...yet Kakashi-sensei possesses the Sharingan, which is what makes him family."

The boy gives him a closed smile that seems almost unnatural, if only because Kakashi had never witnessed it before.

"Also...you remind me of him."

Kakashi falls silent.

If you had asked him whether this was out of respect for the dead or overall speechlessness, he would tell you had never really decided.

-

The boy wasn't around for long.

Itachi's abilities were once again recognized by the Sandaime when the Uchiha was promoted to Captain soon after he turned thirteen, little more than a year after he was first inducted into ANBU. From the extent of Itachi's skills and abilities, Kakashi knew this advancement could have been granted to Itachi months earlier, but in the back of his mind Kakashi sarcastically imagined the Hokage didn't want to look barbaric by promoting a minor to ANBU Captain.

"Duty and loyalty."

Kakashi and Itachi were standing on a bridge near the Academy during sunset, shortly after the induction ceremony had taken place on the roof of the Hokage's Tower.

One last discussion between makeshift brothers. One final debate between a teacher and his student. It was almost nauseatingly poetic.

"Between duty and loyalty.", Itachi proposed, tonelessly. "Which would you choose as the most honorable virtue to possess?"

Itachi was now on the same level Kakashi was. The latter knows this was no longer a call for advice from a senior, but a request for an opinion from a peer.

"As a Konoha Shinobi, your duty to protect the village is out of your loyalty to the Hokage, while your loyalty to the Hokage is what gives you your sense of duty.", Kakashi replied. "Duty without loyalty is subject to betrayal. Loyalty without duty is blind faith. The two are interchangeable."

"Simply because one cannot exist without the other, that doesn't mean they are the same. What if there is a discrepancy between where one's duty and one's loyalty lies?"

"Treason or baseless confidence. Your choice which to employ."

"And if baseless confidence is the cause of your treason?"

Kakashi glanced askance. Itachi had never allowed himself to sound..._uncertain_, before.

"...is there something you want to tell me, Itachi-kun?"

Lifting himself from the railing of the bridge, the Uchiha faces his colleague and closes his eyes, smiling that vaguely unfamiliar closed smile.

"It's nothing, Kakashi-sensei."

Before Kakashi raises any further questions, Itachi reaches an arm out in front of him.

Kakashi shakes the boy's hand and the boy shakes back.

Even then, he knew something was wrong.

-

_What has he done?_

It's the first thought in Kakashi's mind when he awakens from the Genjutsu, before he immediately contemplates running to the manor to salvage whatever he could--no no, the Tower was much more closeby.

Of course it was more closeby. He must have planned it this way.

_Why didn't I see it?_

Kakashi blames himself, damns himself, hates himself as he runs as fast as his numbed legs would take him. He'd taken one look at the note in his hand, and it was only through this message he even found the strength within himself to stand.

_For God's sake, he was only a child._

His only thought, as Kakashi evades the security at the front gates and starts banging at the Hokage's office door, an unused kunai in one hand and a wrinkled, blood-stained scrap of paper in the other.

A single line in flawless calligraphy.

_**Take care of Sasuke.**_


	2. I Swear I Thought It Was Saturday

-

Chapter Two: I Swear I Thought It Was Saturday

**A/N:** Welcome to chapter two! From my understanding, _henjin_ translates to 'weirdo', 'oddball', or 'strange person'. And I understand Sasuke's acting a bit OOC, but I promise there turns out to be a very good reason for this (if you haven't guessed it already).

I--I

Oh, this was going to be _good_.

It was almost pathetic how easy it was to skip school and gather the supplies he needed to pull off such an epic prank. All the Jounin were completely oblivious; by the time they noticed the 'improvements' he made to the village's _beloved_ cliffside, he would already be at Ichiraku, begging for a free bowl of ramen!

As soon as he was sure the guard across the street wasn't looking, Naruto dashed out from behind a wall to the opposite end of the block, open bucket of paint in hand. He whipped around a corner and, much too busy glancing over his shoulder to make sure he hadn't been detected, ended up colliding with a stranger.

They both fall less than gracefully on their behinds.

Naruto shakes his head, forcing his sight straight. "HEY! Why don't you watch where you're--?!"

Sitting with a paint can upturned over her head, the girl in front of him pushed the rim of the bucket up with her palm, levelling his angry gaze with a pair of curious grey eyes. With black shoes, a matching knee-length skirt, and a light grey turtleneck paired with an open black vest, she was basically monochromatic from head to toe, including the two silver stripes running down her--you guessed it--_black_ hair. As a matter of fact, she'd be totally boring if it wasn't for the fluorescent lime splotches splattered all over her person.

Naruto burst out laughing, doubling over himself and using a free hand to point at her. "Y--you really have no idea how stupid you look right now, you know!"

Surprisingly enough, she started laughing right along with him. "I know, right?! Of all the colors in the world!"

"This is almost worth losing all that paint!"

"I can only imagine what Inuzuka-san's going to say about this one!"

The two Academy Students continued their hysterics, much to the unnerved confusion of a few select passerbys.

"Hey, I know you.", she sighed, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. "Uzumaki Naruto, right? Aren't you in Iruka-sensei's class too?"

Naruto's laughing came to an abrupt halt. "Yeah, so?"

"Well, am I sure glad we ran into each other!" There could not have possibly been a more literal use of the phrase. "Come on--if we don't leave now, we're going to be late for class!"

Before he knew it, she had a moderate grasp on his wrist and they were running the deplorably short trek to school.

"Wha--HEY! I WASN'T _PLANNING_ TO GO TO CLASS TODAY, YOU KNOW!"

"Don't be silly, Uzumaki-san!", she giggled. "It's the last class before the Genin exam, after all! I promise I'll reimburse you for the paint after school."

Why, oh _why_ did he have to take the color he needed two blocks away from the Academy?

The move was so unexpected, Naruto hadn't even thought about using a Substitution Jutsu to slip out of the hold; he couldn't even wrench himself loose from her clutch in time to prevent from reaching Iruka's classroom.

Naruto realized if he had studied last week's text about escape tactics like he was supposed to, he probably wouldn't be in this mess.

-

The school bell rang.

Grumbling under his breath, Naruto untied the bright orange jacket from around his waist, dropping audibly into his seat as he shrugged the coat back on. The girl at the front--the one who had the gall to drag him here--finished speaking with Iruka and climbed the steps to her desk. Resisting the great temptation to put his leg out and watch her fall flat on her face, he ignored her as she passed by him and claimed her seat next to her deskmate at the far back of the room.

"Looks like the mime finally decided to add some color to her act.", he heard Kiba snicker.

"I don't remember asking you anything, Inuzuka-san."

"You know you're always entitled to my opinion. You're welcome, by the way."

"If you feel like starting something, we can take this outside after school, just like we used to."

"Thanks for the offer, but I'd feel bad sending a girl to the infirmary again."

"Stupid mutt!"

"Damn snob!"

"That's enough, from the both of you!" Iruka was already on his feet, fuming. "Naruto!"

The blonde rose from his seat.

"What exactly were you planning on doing with that paint this morning?!"

Naruto folded his arms assuredly. "I was going to use it to wreck the faces on the Hokage Mountainside!"

"Why in the world were you planning on doing such a thing?!"

"Because my name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be a bigger and better Hokage than any of the old geezers carved into the side of some stupid cliff, you know!"

The class erupted in laughter.

"The audacity!", he shouted angrily. "Naruto, you'd do well to thank your classmate for stopping you in time or else you would be spending the rest of your day cleaning up your pointless mess!"

Scoffing, Naruto plopped back down into his seat. Even then, he could feel his deskmate's stare on him; he opened his eyes and made sure to glower nowhere but the spot in front of him. "_Teme_, what's with that look?"

"I was wondering what you were doing here on time."

"Why do you care, anyway?", he snapped, sinking further into his seat. "And so what if I was? I don't see what the big deal is, you know."

Sasuke shrugged, almost unnoticeably.

"You always talk about how much stronger you are compared to everyone else.", he said. "Why don't you start by proving you're stronger than someone who's known to be weaker than you?"

Naruto clicked his tongue. "Jeez! Enough with the riddles, already; either tell me who you're talking about or just shut the heck up!"

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke opened his notebook and remained silent. Iruka grabbed a piece of chalk and began writing something across the board, commencing his lecture.

"...I'm talking about the girl who dragged you here, _dobe_."

Naruto froze up. Caught in disbelief, he turned his head just enough so that _she_ entered into his peripheral vision.

It was one thing to be caught by a Jounin guard, or a Chuunin academy teacher, or even a Konoha police officer, but to be dragged to class against your will by a _classmate_ who was _weaker_ than you?

He gritted his teeth together and tightened his grip on the pencil.

If she thought she was getting away with this, then she had another thing coming.

-

The girl in the back of the room sighed tiredly, scratching her head so that flakes of dried green paint snowed to the ground. Class had ended ten minutes ago and here she still was, picking coloring out of her hair. She suddenly realized it was kind of hard to see with all her bangs off to the side, half-covering an eye.

_Maybe I should get it cut._

"Oi, _henjin_!"

She snapped out of her daze and glanced around the classroom, realizing she was the last student left.

"Eh?", she blinked, pointing at her nose. "Me?"

"Yeah, you!"

Much to her surprise, he seemed upset.

Naruto put a hand on his waist and angrily pointed up at her. "I challenge you to a fight!"

-


	3. Paint Over Shame

-

Chapter Three: Paint Over Shame

**A/N:** Yes, third chapter! I hope Naruto's IC here; I was trying to keep his first-half-of-episode-one attitude in mind while writing this. One more chapter of character development after this one, and we can finally begin the first arc! Yosh!

I--I

"Eh? A fight?"

"Stop repeating everything I say; it's annoying!"

The dark-haired girl idling at the back of the room stared at him for a moment, grabbing onto her wrist and rubbing her forearm unsurely. "Is...is this about the paint, Uzumaki-san? I was actually just leaving to go pick it u--"

"Don't try to weasel your way out of this!", Naruto suddenly shouted, making his classmate recoil in shock. "Even though you're way worse at Ninjutsu than I am, _I'm_ the lowest-ranking student in Iruka-sensei's class and _you're_ only the _second_-lowest!"

She nervously scratched at the bottom of her cheek. "Third-lowest, actually. I study more than Nara-san does."

"Doesn't matter! If I beat you, that would make _you_ the worst student in the class instead, you know!"

"I don't think it works that way..."

"Does that mean you give up?!"

"Absolutely not!", she smiled gently, holding up an index finger. "If Uzumaki-san wants this title, he should have the privilege of telling everyone he won it fair and square! But, Uzumaki-san...I don't have any reason to fight you."

Lowering his arm to hold a hand against his chin, Naruto attempted to come up with a proper wager as his intended opponent shrugged her backpack on and swept more flakes of green off her shoulders.

"How about if you win...", he decided. "You forget about replacing the can of paint?"

She skipped down the classroom stairs and jumped the last step, landing to stand beside him. "Fair trade."

-

Considering students and personnel alike had already headed home for the day, the fight would take place outside of the Academy, an area nearby yet still away from intruding eyes (save for the unsuspecting civilian bystander across the street). The two would-be Genin were separated by nothing more than several feet of bare ground; kunai holsters and shuriken packs were left abandoned in a pile at the foot of a nearby tree, beneath a lonely wooden swing.

Naruto had only presented three rules of combat.

"No weapons! No weird tools! No running away!"

She gave him a light smile in agreement, and he charged as fast as his feet would take him.

Naruto leapt and threw a straight punch downwards, easily dodged by the girl's sudden shift in position. He managed to catch the swift upwards kick she countered with; she pressed her hands against the ground to keep balance and tried for his lower abdomen with her other leg, rising to her feet once successfully knocking him away. She rushed in attack, jumping over him to evade his attempt to trip her and trying to get a fast hit in from behind. He avoided her assaults and she blocked his counters; it was almost aggravating how evenly matched they were.

Stepping back, Naruto quickly twisted around, swinging his leg over for a high kick to the head. She spun to face his strike head-on, crossing her forearms to absorb the impact; when his ankle made contact, she immediately grabbed onto it with both hands and yanked him off balance, shifting her feet to sway his weight and throw him to the opposite side of the clearing.

Naruto performed a hasty back-flip, dragging his hand across the ground for stability and landing in a crouching position. She was already running towards him.

He furrowed his brow and felt his fists clench as he observed her unfaltering expression.  
That small, content, insufferable smile never left her face for a moment.

Blinded by frustration, Naruto forced his hands together to form a hand seal.

"BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

The girl slid to a stop, kicking up a cloud of dirt as a shadowed form appeared from the resulting puff of smoke.

The fog cleared.

Both expressions on the field turned incredulous upon spotting the inanimate, off-color, deathly pale Naruto clone lying in a pathetic crumple on the forest floor, its slack tongue sticking out lazily from its drooling mouth. Naruto growled and kicked it out of frustration, neglecting to remember bunshins were only illusions and in turn falling hard on his behind.

A bird's call echoed mockingly through the following silence.

"Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!", he finally cried out, running his hands through his hair and falling backwards to lay on the ground. "Why did I even _bother_?!"

Naruto's temporary rival let out a small cough. "Does...this mean I don't have to--"

"WOULD YOU SHUT UP ABOUT THE STUPID PAINT, ALREADY?!"

"S--sorry."

His angered gaze didn't move from its position on the sky, even when he heard the grass crunching beneath his classmate's feet as she approached him.

"Uzumaki-san, you really shouldn't be so upset.", she insisted, kneeling by his side. "Whether or not you ended up winning, school is over in a few days either way. It's such a short time to be triumphant."

"This isn't about the fight, _henjin_, it's about getting that freakin' Jutsu wrong! _Again_!"

"Well, you're not planning to perform the Jutsu like that at the exam, are you? Because...you know, they probably wouldn't let you pass if you did."

"Idiot!", he snapped. "I'm not _planning_ to do it like that, it's going to happen just like it did before! I make the stupid clone all the time, but I never get the Chakra right to move it properly! Why is the exam always on this stupid technique?!"

"So you've been doing it wrong." He saw her shrug out the corner of his eye. "No matter how many times I read over the instructions in the textbook, I can't even make the bunshin in the first place, even though I'm sure I can control my Chakra enough to keep it moving."

"Oh yeah? And how the heck can you be so sure?"

"The book says a bunshin moves with outward Chakra projections onto the illusion, and I've always been pretty good at controlling Chakra outside the body. I could try and teach you, if you wanted."

"Tch!", he scoffed, still glaring daggers at the clouds. "I've failed the graduation exam two years in a row with this same technique, you know! What's a couple days' practice gonna do?"

"We could at least try to help each other out?"

"I don't need your help!", he said loudly, shutting his eyes.

There was another long, uninterrupted silence, somehow less tense than that which had previously ensued. He felt her start tugging at the grass beneath them from boredom, breaking the multiple blades and tossing them asunder to the wind.

"Uzumaki-san...you want to be the Hokage, don't you?"

"Of course I do!", he proclaimed. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"A good Hokage helps villages who are in need, and knows when to accept help when his village is in need. But you don't have to go around helping whole villages to begin acting like a Hokage. You can start by helping the people inside of them. Don't you think it's at least worth a shot?"

Naruto opened his eyes, quickly rising to his feet and towering over her kneeling form. She was still picking at the ground when he saw her, seeming completely lost in her own little world; not only was she covered in blotches of dried green paint, but her fingertips were now also stained from picking at the grass for so long, with countless blades littering her folded lap and tangled within the tips of the lengthy hair resting on the ground behind her.

"Oi, _henjin_."

She glanced up at him with widened eyes, blinking.

"We can't train if you're sitting on the ground the whole time, you know." Naruto folded his arms behind his head and looked away. "About this whole Chakra project thing...teach me how to move a clone and I'll teach you how to make one. Sound good?"

Patting the grass off of her skirt, she smiled at him. "Fair trade."

-


	4. Take it or Leave it!

-

Chapter Four: Take it or Leave it!

**A/N:** Sorry for the delay in updating! My family and I just finished moving across the city and oh I'm sure you don't want to hear this. New chapters should be back on track and time from now on. I'm also going to start formatting the dialogue properly, since I've apparently been doinitrong this whole time, haha. To the story!

I--I

He hadn't expected her.

Her presence on the tree limb above caught Naruto in mid-yawn. When he sighted his grey-clothed classmate, she beamed in return, swinging her legs through mid-air and waving down at him. Her amiable smile crinkled the dark shadows beneath her eyes, sleepless marks which mirrored his own.

"You look..." he started absently, blinking once or twice to wipe the fatigue from his expression, "like crap."

"I haven't slept in thirty-six hours!" she replied, sounding proud of the accomplishment. "How'd it go?"

With a wide grin, Naruto thrust his fist into the air, holding his hitai-ate up in triumph. "Passed!"

"Oh, _congratulations_! How many clones did you end up getting away with?"

"A whole six of them, and they all worked and moved around and everything! That late night we pulled at the training field yesterday was totally worth the extra two, you know! Hey...where's your headband?" He put a hand against his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun and get a clearer look at her. "You passed too, right?"

"Sure did! I just put it away for now." She shrugged. "I don't want to get it all scratched up before I dye the band black."

"What is with you and black and grey, _henjin_? You're already black and grey all over...you look really depressing, you know."

Her expression flickered gently, surprised by such a remark. She looked down at her attire. "I thought Shinobi were supposed to wear discreet colors..."

"Yeah, but how are you ever supposed to stand out if you look just like everyone else?"

She blinked.

"Anyway, I gotta get going," he said, folding his arms behind his head. "Iruka-sensei's treating me to ramen tonight because of how hard I kicked his stupid exam's butt, you know. I'm going to have a bowl of the beef, then the chicken, then the miso, then the vegetable...ano, maybe the chicken after the miso but before the beef...definitely before the beef..."

"Have fun, Uzumaki-san! Be sure to catch some rest when you get home, though; registration's bright and early tomorrow, and you wouldn't want to miss that."

He scratched at the inside of his ear with his pinky. "You don't need to lecture me, you know. You need the sleep more than I do, anyway. You'll look a lot better in the morning."

She gave a small laugh and bid him goodbye.

With a wave and a smile, he was gone.

-

He mulled over the words in his head, wondering if they'd have the same effect the second, fifth, tenth time around. They did, of course, but it wouldn't stop him from trying.

Iruka had been oddly quiet at Ichiraku that evening, right before he said it.

_I don't think you quite understand how proud of you I am._

As he walked the path home through the heart of the village, Naruto realized he was still holding his graduation hitai-ate, tight enough for Konoha's symbol to leave an indent against his palm. He found himself more interested in this fact than the passing whispers of hatred everyone thought he didn't hear.

"Can you believe someone like _him_ made it as a Genin?"

"The Academy's standards must have really dropped since last year..."

"I heard they did it on purpose because the school was sick of having him around all the time. You can't really blame them, I guess."

Naruto smirked at himself. So he attracted the village's ridicule whether he passed or failed. It helped him understand he had no reason to care what they thought any longer, because giving their opinions importance would be giving _them_ importance, and they weren't people who deserved to be held in his regard. Not after the way they'd treated him his entire life. None of them mattered anymore, now that he knew.

_All of your efforts have finally paid off, Naruto. Keep working hard, giving your all, believing in yourself...and I really do think you could accomplish your dream of becoming Hokage._

Iruka was the first person worth cherishing, and the only person whose opinion should have mattered at all. He was strict because it was the way he'd handle any subordinate who took their education lightly. He was harsh because he didn't want his pupil turning out to be the embodiment of what everyone expected. He was pushing Naruto onward because he believed in him.

The thought of this alone made the student's heart ache in a way he couldn't really explain.

_I know I haven't been there for you as much as I could have. And I know how sick you must be of hearing your teacher asking you as a part of the class not to disappoint me, but I hope that what I'm saying now will prove a lot more important to you._

He glanced down at the Leaf in his palm, where his hand and his Sensei's had met.

"Naruto."

"Eh?" He shifted his attention up to see Mizuki standing before him. '_What's with all the people sneaking up on me today?_'

The white-haired Chuunin smiled. "Congratulations on making Genin."

"Thanks, Sensei!" he said confidently. "I told you guys I'd pass this time! When I say I'm going to do something, I absolutely mean it, you know!"

"Right, of course," Mizuki chuckled. He fell silent as the look in his eyes turned more resolute, seeming both concerned and somehow reluctant. "Naruto-kun. I could get in a lot of trouble for telling you this, but...did you know that you tied with Uchiha Sasuke in creating the most clones out of everyone in Iruka's class?"

"No way; _really_?" Naruto's face lit up as he tightened his fists. "Just as much as Sasuke?!"

"That's right. Iruka and I were most impressed by your abilities."

"Awesome! Now all I have to do is train even harder and see if I have enough Chakra to make one extra clone, you know! That way I know for _sure_ I've beaten Sasuke!"

"Oh, come now. Someone of your potential would be able to beat Sasuke at something far more important." Mizuki took the curious, yet fascinated expression on the Genin's face as a bid to continue. "I'm talking about a promotion."

"A promotion?" he echoed. "You mean...another one?"

"Of course. As you know, the traditional way of being promoted to Chuunin involves participating in the Chuunin exams."

Naruto folded his arms and nodded along sagely. '_I didn't know that, but sure._'

"It's a pity how far away the exams are, what with someone of your talents..." He snapped his fingers. "Tell you what. Only a few people in Konoha are privileged with the information, but there's a different way of becoming Chuunin that is still recognized by the government."

"A different way?"

"Yes, and it's much faster than going through the exam process, too," he claimed, still grinning. "If you wanted to meet me by the East Gate in an hour, I'll tell you all about it. Think of it as a kind of shortcut."

The word struck him to the core.

Naruto froze in place. He glanced back down at the hitai-ate in his hand as Iruka's final lesson rang clear through.

_Don't disappoint yourself, Naruto._

He pressed the headband to his chest, firmly clenching his other hand.

"Naruto-kun?" Mizuki asked. "Are you okay?"

"In order to get where you wanna go..." he started, voice adamant, tone steady. "You have to give it a hundred and ten percent, or you shouldn't even bother trying! People who get lazy don't deserve the same as what other people train hard for, you know! I'm going to prove to everyone in this village, including you and Iruka-sensei, that I can become the greatest Shinobi ever without getting any kind of special treatment!"

"What are you trying to say?" A slight sneer had laced the end of his question as he crossed his arms and raised an intrigued brow. "That you _don't_ want to become a Chuunin before Sasuke?"

"I'm saying that just because Sasuke can't handle becoming Chuunin the right way, that doesn't mean I can't, you know! I'm saying if that know-it-all wants to take the easy way out, he's making a stupid decision I don't want to have anything to do with! I'm saying there are no shortcuts, not to anything that needs real strength, real courage, _real_ determination, and sure as heck not to anything that's worth working your best for! Mark my words, Mizuki-sensei: I'm going to become Hokage the old-fashioned way, even if it kills me!"

Naruto turned around and stormed off in a heated fit of determination to the training field, letting slip a notice that the expression on Mizuki's face had turned into a vicious scowl.

'_So that's the way it's going to be, is it?_' Mizuki scoffed. '_Don't get too comfortable with yourself, Naruto. There's always a Plan B._'

-


	5. It is a Mystery

-

Chapter Five: It is a Mystery

**A/N:** Hey there! First note, sorry this chapter is a few hours late, school stuff and work stuff and life stuff got in the way of timely updating. Second note, I know my OC is practically useless this chapter, but that's only because I didn't want her importance to be on par with the canon characters' during their main introduction into the story. I wanted to ease her into the plot, get everyone used to her, before I crank up the awesome in installment six. Third note, Sakura still plays an integral role in this plotline, and the reason why she is absent will be clarified in chapter seven. Final note: I noticed a couple of fandomsecrets on LiveJournal about this story appearing in the past few weeks. If the people who posted those are reading right now, allow me to thank you and just say you're friggin' awesome for taking the time to make those. TOTES MADE MY DAY. I love you! Really!

**Remember,** I take the time to address _every_ review through PM, in accordance with the site's ban on responses to reviews in the author's notes. If a single question is asked twice or more in the reviews, though, I will address the concern 'generally' in the author's notes of the next chapter. On with the show!

I--I

He had always been fascinated by how the world could function when the majority of its population was experiencing such a state of inanity and aimlessness, not unlike lab rats searching for cheese located at the end of a maze. The purpose of his existence was known ever since he could remember, an awareness he knew most spent a lifetime trying to attain. Was he lucky to have been able to set a goal from the start and devote the remainder of his reality striving to achieve it? Was he unfortunate to have missed out on the process of enlightenment all must face, the very journey to discovering why one is?

Sasuke heard the front door of the class slam open, not bothering to pay attention to the head of the room until the rest of it subsequently fell silent. His orange-clad deskmate wasn't ashamed to make his presence known, though Sasuke couldn't say this was too far of a stretch compared to his normal behaviour.

"Yeah, I know what you're all thinkin'!" he shouted as he walked to their table. "'What the heck is that guy doing here? He's making a mistake! Isn't this seminar for Genin only?' Well, I _PASSED_ the Genin examination, you know! So you can all stop staring at me like the oggling freaks you are and finally get it through your thick heads that I'm just as good as the rest of you!"

Naruto dropped into his seat while Sasuke decided to stop staring. It was a wonder he made it this far, the latter thought to himself. Neither positive nor negative, simply a neutral surprise.

A few moments later, Iruka, looking anxious and fatigued, rushed through the already-open door with a small scroll in his hands. "Settle down for a moment, class.

"Thank you all for coming today, and I congradulate you on becoming full-fledged Genin. You might have made it this far, but be sure you will have a long and difficult road ahead of you, if you wish to progress any further in your careers. Unfortunately, some important business has come up this morning, which prevents me from staying as long as I would have liked for this orientation. Because of this, I will be brief.

"Squad compositions have been determined on a statistical basis, calculated while considering individual skills and weaknesses. The teams posted on this scroll are _final_. I've reworked this chart a hundred times. No exceptions will be made." Iruka unravels the thin scroll, taping either end of it to the front of the chalkboard. "This paper lists every squad, the members that squad is composed of, and the place where you will be meeting your Jounin instructor twenty minutes from now."

Sasuke observed Iruka as he turned around to take in the expectant faces of his students one last time, recognizing the familiar traces of hopelessness and worry that must have been plauging most of their eyes, now that reality had settled in. 'Is this the end?' 'You're leaving us just like that?' 'What do we do now?'

All he could do was nod and bare a reassuring smile.

"Good luck. I have faith in you."

Iruka made a brief hand seal and was gone.

Slowly, the students stood from their seats one-by-one, moving with extreme caution to the front of the classroom. A vast range of expressions scattered across their faces, from excitement and disappointment, to satisfaction and envy, to happiness and insurmountable fear. Being the last one still seated, Sasuke turned back to the window, taking a moment to rest his eyes. He figured he would go ahead and see if it was possible to let them do all the work, to figure out who his teammates were without having to actually get up. The first boy to glance askance in his direction. The first girl to approach him blushing. He imagined this scenario over and over, many times.

"UNBELIEVABLE!" screamed the undomesticated common loud-mouth. "OUT OF EVERYONE IN THIS CLASS, WHY _SASUKE_?!"

The Uchiha opened an eye. This was not part of his scenario.

"Oh, shut _up_, Naruto!" he heard another screeching voice proclaim. Female. He watched her run a careful hand through her platinum-blonde ponytail, flipping her hair impatiently. "You should be grateful to have made it on Sasuke-kun's team! You'd probably be dead any other way, in _both_ senses of the word."

"NO WAY!" retorted Naruto, now crossing his forearms into the shape of an 'x'. "I never did _anything_ to deserve this kind of punishment! I've improved a whole lot since our last exam, you know! Why would Iruka-sensei team me with _Sasuke_?! I'm better than that! And I've never even heard of this 'Yuni' girl, either! Why does Iruka-sensei have it out for me?! This isn't fair!"

Sasuke's eyes shifted to the dark-haired girl fighting against Kiba to see the team listings first. Yuni was using brute strength to shove him out of her way, while he took full advantage of the easy, pain-inflicting access granted by long hair. Akamaru also seemed to be gnawing on her wrist. It was quite comical.

Ino slapped her forehead. "Wow!" She laughed. "I guess Sasuke-kun and I have something else in common, seeing as we're both stuck with _failures_ as teammates. At least our squads are lucky enough to have Shinobi as powerful as we are to pull around all the dead weight." Her tone turned high-pitched as she smiled sweetly and waved in his direction. "Right, Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke ignored her, instead noticing Kiba examine the sheet as he pushed the top of Yuni's head an arm's length away from himself, causing her to swing punches mercilessly at thin air. This was the same girl who trained with Naruto two nights ago, both Shinobi-to-be risking trouble and punishment for breaking the Academy Student curfew. This was the same girl who could barely perform Chakra flow control without injuring herself, or whoever or whatever was unfortunate enough to be within a five-feet radius.

Yuni delivered a sweeping kick; she tripped Kiba and spun around, nearly forcing her nose flat against the paper on the wall.

"Uzumaki-san!" she cheered, running up to Naruto and holding her right hand up for a high-five. "We're teammates!"

Gaping in disbelief, Naruto stumbled backwards, shaking his arm as he pointed at her. "H--_henjin_?!"

"Yeah!" Her smile wavered, and she lowered her palm. "Are you disappointed?"

"N--no! I just wasn't expecting you to be...you know..." He slouched over and pointed at her again, calmer than last time. "Why's your hair red all of a sudden?"

"Oh yeah!" She touched her chin and looked up, thoughtfully. "I remembered what you said the other day about me looking depressing. I'm not depressed at all, and I thought looking like it would be unfair to people who really were depressed and wanted to look it, so I dyed the stripes in my hair last night with a color that wasn't silver or grey or black, like you told me to."

"Wha...what did you use for--"

"Uzumaki-san, do you have any idea why Sasuke isn't coming over here?" She giggled, pressing her hand timidly against the side of her face. "You don't think he's embarassed of us, do you?"

Naruto folded his arms. "Who cares? Not me, you know. I--hey, where are you going?!"

Sasuke eyed the kunoichi as she approached his table; in spite of his detailed expectations, she didn't seem to be blushing.

She stopped in front of the desk and bowed. "Uchiha-san," she addressed, extending a hand, "I'm Ookamiza Yuni. We're teammates."

Because they had the tendency to idealize him as some kind of demi-god rather than a human being, the irrational behaviour of his female peers was always directly proportional to their distance from him. She was different, to say the least. The fleeting, angered glowers from kunoichi around the classroom didn't seem to bother her; her small smile, completely non-threatening. They were meeting face-to-face and it was almost as if she held no special interest in him at all. The thought was mildly engaging, much to his own disdain.

"We should leave," he said, rising to his feet. "We wouldn't want to keep the Jounin waiting."

Yuni blinked and retracted her arm, staring oddly down at her right palm. '_This hand is cursed..._'

"Tch!" Naruto scoffed. "I don't have to listen to you, you know! Who died and made you boss, anyway?"

"You have a better idea?"

"Er..."

Sasuke glided down the stairs past his new comerades. "Where we headed?"

"Outside the weaponry shop," said Yuni, running to catch up with him as he walked out the classroom door. "The big one, in the southeast."

The instant he realized what was happening, Naruto's demands not to be left behind soon followed.

-

_Dear Genin of Squad Seven,_

_I will be unable to make our appointment this morning. Sorry for the inconvenience. Please return about your business until further instruction is provided._

_Sincerely,_

_Your Sensei_

It was a short note, and a considerably small one, to boot, requiring those who desired to read the miniature text to lean in very closely. Sasuke hadn't objected when Naruto volunteered himself to read it aloud first, just in case the 'close distance' factor was part of some kind of sick trap.

Alas, to Sasuke's slight disappointment, it wasn't.

Yuni scratched at her neck. "Should we...just go home, then?"

"NO!" Naruto yelled, stomping his foot against the ground. "Today was supposed to be my very first day as a Genin, my very first day of training! I'm not going to let this guy get away that easily, you know!"

Burying his hands within his pockets, Sasuke turned to leave.

"Oi! Where do you think you're going?!"

"On with my life." he said flatly. "I suggest you do the same."

"I don't freakin' think so! I'm not going to leave just because some piece of paper tells me I should, you know! I'll just have to track him down myself and make him train me like he was supposed to!"

"The instructions say to leave," Sasuke said sharply. "Why would I waste my time disobeying my first order?"

"Stop acting like you're go great, you jerk! It's not like I need you to come along, anyway!"

Yuni stuck up an index finger. "Uchiha-san, we're teammates, so it wouldn't be right for us to let Naruto search alone. If Sensei saw Naruto searching by himself, he wouldn't think very highly of either of us for abandoning Naruto's efforts."

Sasuke took Yuni's proposal into consideration, looking even further past her suggestion. What if that note was not only a test of character, but a test of ability? To measure their tracking skills? To be able to pick up on subtle cues the Jounin may have left behind? To see if they would give up so easily?

"...even if I did stay, where would we start looking?"

The blonde opened his mouth to spit out an answer, but nothing came out. After ten agonizginly long seconds of quiet, it was more than obvious he was drawing a blank.

"I think what Uzumaki-san is trying to say," started Yuni, "is that because our Sensei is the leader of a team, our best bet would be to consult the Mission Assignment Panel at the Hokage Tower. Right, Uzumaki-san?"

"What she said!" He immediately pointed off into the distance. "To the Hokage Tower!"

"The Hokage Tower's _that_ way, Uzumaki-san..."

"I KNEW THAT!"

-

Organized groups of uniformed Shinobi were rushing around the tower grounds in an absolute scramble upon the Genin's arrival; upon closer evaluation, it would be noted that there didn't appear to be anyone lower than Chuunin rank present within the area. Attempts to stop someone for questioning seemed futile. If the Genin hadn't stayed together as a group, they would have run the risk of getting lost within the shuffle themselves.

The three took a few steps past the gigantic red entrance doors, evading head-on collisions with speeding Tokubetsu Jounin to the best of their ability.

"Can I help you?"

The unexpected greeting gave Naruto a start.

The Chuunin standing behind them was a younger man with spiky black hair, donning Konoha's official Chuunin uniform, complete with distinctive green vest. He glared down at the Genin with dark, narrow eyes, sniffling regularly beneath the bandages wrapped over his nose: thin, stark white coverings which spanned over the length of his face.

"We were supposed to meet our Jounin here for an assignment," Sasuke lied. "Do you know where we would be able to find him?"

"I'm afraid all D-Rank missions have been put on hold for the time being, seeing as the Hokage isn't available to assign them."

"Why?" questioned Naruto. "What's going on around here; why's everyone freaking out?"

"It is a matter of public record that the Hokage's grandson went missing this morning," the man said. "Konoha civilians have been notified to keep an eye and ear out for the boy, while all available Jounin and Chuunin begin a village-wide search."

"Konohamaru..." Naruto whispered to himself.

Sasuke raised his voice. "Is there anything missing from the Hokage Tower?"

The Chuunin appeared stunned for a moment. "That information is confidential," he replied piercingly, regaining composure as he raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"Just curious."

"In that case, I'm going to have to ask you to vacate the premesis. Under the current conditions, your Jounin will understand if you've decided to go home."

A curt 'thank you' was all it took before Sasuke backtracked and sped his way out the door, forcing Naruto and Yuni to nearly jog in an effort to keep up with him.

"Sasuke-_teme_, slow down why don't you?" Naruto groaned after the first two blocks. "What's the big hurry?"

"Naruto."

"Eh?"

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, much to the relief of his teammates. "Back there, you said the name 'Konohamaru'. Did you know the Hokage's grandson?"

"Sure I did!" he said proudly. "I'm his mentor, you know! Before he met me, he used to be the kind of kid who wouldn't give up until he took the position of Hokage by defeating his granddad, but I made sure to set him straight! Everyone's getting all high-strung for nothing. He won't be all that hard to find, you know. He's not that great of a ninja, he's not that great at hiding, and he's got a pretty big mouth..."

Sasuke coughed discreetly.

"Our Sensei is probably out with the rest of the Jounin, looking for the Hokage's grandson," said Yuni.

"That's no excuse! I don't see any other Genin walking around not doing anything, you know! If the other Jounin made it today, ours should have made it too!"

"The way that Chuunin responded when I asked was too abrupt not to be a dead giveaway..." Sasuke muttered, ignoring the argument beside him. "The Hokage wouldn't send out a full legion of Chuunin and Jounin if it wasn't a more serious issue. Something was stolen from the Hokage's Tower, and they suspect Konohamaru's disappearance was a kidnapping."

"Woah, really?! That's intense! If we found out what was stolen and bring both that _and_ Konohamaru back, we'd be heroes, you know! Then our Sensei'll have no _choice_ but to start training us!"

"The entire village is looking for that kid, including Shinobi more experienced and trained than we are. What makes you think we'll fare any better?"

"Well, maybe they just aren't lookin' in the right places!" he defended. "They all think like adults when they're trying to find a little kid! Everyone knows in order to find a little kid, you need to think like a little kid!"

"And we all know you're the master of that..."

"Why you--"

"Uzumaki-san, what are you suggesting?" asked Yuni. "That there are places in the village not even Jounin know about?"

"It depends on where he was going, you know! When I last saw him, he was with his Sensei, this really _weird_ closet perv with glasses," he said, making circles around his eyes with his fingers. "If I can find out what they were doing during their training..."

"But if this man is Konohamaru's teacher, then chances are he's looking for Konohamaru as well. Where would we even find him?"

Naruto and Yuni gave an exasparated sigh in unison.

"...it's standard protocol in a missing persons case for the last-associated party to comb through the areas where said person was last seen. The Chuunin at the Missions Panel said he went missing this morning. Academy Students had _class_ this morning. That means..."

Yuni hit the palm of her hand with the bottom of her fist. "Konohamaru's Sensei would be searching the children's training grounds right now! Brilliant, Uchiha-san!"

Once again, Naruto pointed into the distance; this time in the right direction. "To the Academy Training Grounds!"

-

"KONOHAMARUUUUU?!"

The Genin followed the loud echoes from the edge of the training grounds to the opposite side of the clearing, where a tall man dressed in navy blue from head to toe was frantically searching every corner for the missing boy.

"Sensei?"

Ebisu whipped around, standing up straight from his lean over a bush. "What are you three doing here? Newly-promoted Genin are assembled on the other side of Konoha with their Squad Leaders!"

"AHA, I KNEW IT!" shouted Naruto. "I KNEW THE OTHER JOUNIN DIDN'T BACK OUT!"

Sasuke stepped forward. "Can we ask you a question?"

"No, absolutely not, not right now, I'm searching for the Honorable Grandson!" he said in a panic. "In case you haven't heard, he's gone missing! Sarutobi Konohamaru! _My_ student! And I cannot and will not fail as a teacher by failing to find him!" He proceeded to tear out the leaves and branches from all nearby shrubs, as if Konohamaru was buried within the tangle of sticks.

"We were wondering if there was anything we could do to help you with your search?" asked Yuni.

"A word of advice, young Genin," he enunciated firmly, "stop concerning yourselves with things that do not concern _you_. You are neither Konoha cilivians, nor are you Chuunin or Jounin; this means you are to mind your own assignments unless told otherwise!"

"This is our assignment," said Sasuke.

"What are you--" Naruto was interrupted with a hard elbowing to the arm; before he was able to shout in opposition, Yuni gave him a concerned, warning look and put a finger to her mouth, signaling him to keep quiet.

"Our Joinin Squad Leader assigned us to help find the Hokage's missing grandson to see if we're skilled enough to be of assistance," said Sasuke. "Because of your close relationship with Konohamaru, we decided you would be the first person we should come to for advice. Do you remember anything he said or did before he left that might've tipped you off to where he was going?"

"As I've told the search party repeatedly..." the Jounin nearly growled, adjusting the bridge of his glasses with a single finger, "Konohamaru mentioned taking a shortcut to the Hokage before he ran off. I believed him to be skipping out on training to hide at home as he usually does before I retreive him, but when I arrived at the Tower, he, along with the Fuuin no Sho, was already _gone_. Now, if you'll excuse me!"

He delved deeper into the forest brush, calling his student's name until his voice cracked from the desperation.

"Fuuin no Sho..." echoed Yuni. "Someone stole Shodai Hokage's Sacred Scroll of Sealing? That, in combination with Konohamaru-san's disappearance..."

"Are you okay?"

Confused by the concern, Yuni turned around to see who Sasuke was addressing. Their teammate had turned a ghostly shade of white, his expression blank, yet disturbed, as if he'd suddenly stumbled upon something inconceivably surreal.

A sweatdrop slid down the side of his cheek as the pieces of the puzzle fell together, forming a picture only he could see. Naruto dug his nails into the palms of his hands, squeezing his fists so tightly his arms began to shake.

"...I know where Konohamaru is."

-


	6. Those Meddling Kids

-

Chapter Six: Those Meddling Kids

**A/N:** Ah, yes, late. What else is new? I do hope I captured the intensity of this chapter well; I put my very best into it. If you do decide to leave a review, please be sure to tell me what you think of Yuni's character so far. It would really help me know whether or not I'm taking her in the right direction.

**Translation Note:** According to several different online translators, 1) 'Boushoku' means spinning (thread) / weaving, and 2) 'yosomono' means 'stranger' or 'outsider'. I thought the latter would be funny to use because 'bakemono' is the usual title. xD If it's grammatically awkward / unheard of / improper to use these in the contexts shown below, please let me know. I know as well as anyone the internet is not to be trusted!

I--I

"_Dobe_, would you tell us where we're supposed to be going?"

"The East Gate."

"How can you be sure that's where he is, Uzumaki-san?"

"I just am, you know!"

Racing through the village streets, Sasuke and Yuni glanced at each other, recognizing Naruto's words and the low, worried growl which carried them. If the fact he hadn't reacted to being called 'dobe' wasn't enough of a hint, Naruto was displaying an incredible amount of resolve in his purpose; there was something strange and unsettling about his new demeanor which encouraged his comrades to follow his lead without too much question.

The Genin reached a forty-foot high wood-paneled barrier separating them from the opposite side, and consequently, a division in the road. To the bewilderment of his teammates, Naruto made a left.

"Uzumaki-san, the East Gate is--"

"On the other side of this freakin' wall, and I'm not wasting time going around it! It's twelve minutes faster if you cut through this apartment building to the fire escape on the other side, you know!"

"Woah..." Yuni pressed a closed hand to her chest. "How does he _know_ these things?"

Sasuke took off past her. "He's got a lot of time on his hands, that's for sure."

They entered the open doorway of the civilian complex, navigating through the dark, narrow corridors with only Naruto's echoing footsteps and occasional shouts of 'this way!' and 'up here!' as their guide. Many twisted turns and several flights of cramped staircases later, the group spotted him: Mizuki, silhouetted at the end of a hallway by the light of the large window behind him, leaning his weight upon the massive, partly-untied scroll he held upright against the ground.

"Good afternoon, Naruto-kun," he greeted kindly. "I hadn't expected to see you today. What are you three up to this morning?"

Still running, Naruto threw several shuriken at the Chuunin, all of which were deflected with the quick draw of a kunai.

The man's eyebrow gave a twitch of surprised agitation. "Now, was that really necessary?"

Naruto stopped in his tracks several feet in front of his former teacher. "Where's Konohamaru?!"

"Hokage-sama's grandson?" He blinked. "What makes you think I know where he is?"

"DON'T ACT STUPID WITH ME!"

At this point, several bystanders had opened their doors to find out who was making the obnoxious racket in their hallway; one look at the forehead protectors and raised kunai, and doors began shutting again, this time with locks being audibly turned shut.

"The night after I passed the Genin exam, you offered me a shortcut to becoming a Chuunin! The last thing Konohamaru told his Sensei this morning was that he was taking a shortcut to becoming Hokage, you know! You're a teacher at the Academy and you _knew_ how much becoming Hokage meant to him, just like you knew how much it meant to me!"

'_Naruto, what were you thinking?_' Sasuke's hand was hovering over his kunai holster. '_If you told us that earlier, we could have went to a Jounin about it instead of rushing in blindly like this...I wasn't expecting to be put up against one of our own Chuunin._'

"Well, I don't suppose there's much point in wasting energy trying to keep it up..." Mizuki sighed, sounding extremely bored. "That's right. _I'm_ the one who got Konohamaru to steal the Sacred Scroll while promising him a chance at advancement. Since he's so weak and insignificant, his Chakra signature can be cloaked with the right Jutsu, meaning he's even invisible to the Hokage's _all-seeing crystal ball_. Happy now?"

Too infuriated to pay closer attention, Naruto was the last of the three to notice that the scroll Mizuki held was already partially unraveled, as if Mizuki had been reading through it and couldn't twist it back up in time for their arrival. Naruto squinted into the shadow, barely making out the bolded name of a Jutsu above a picture of a hand seal he had never seen before.

"Taju Kage Bunshin?" Naruto read aloud. "You went through all this trouble for a Shadow Clone technique?"

"Sure, I learned how to make a few clones of my own, but that was more of a bonus than anything. Thanks to the little brat, I had enough time to master the only Jutsu in this scroll I even needed."

Mizuki performed a brief succession of seals with his fingers, forcing an emerald-green radiance of Chakra to emanate from his left hand. He charged forward. Sasuke immediately intervened and kneed him in the abdomen, but not before Mizuki crashed his glowing palm against Naruto's forehead and sent him flying backwards, colliding into Yuni.

Knocked back down the hallway by Sasuke, Mizuki landed on his feet and threw a small, spherical object to the ground, releasing a blinding purple gas into the air. After hearing the sound of shattering glass, Sasuke held a sleeve against his face and stole after Mizuki through the cloud.

Kneeling up on the floor, Yuni had Naruto leaning against her. "Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine!" he scowled, scrambling to his feet. "Come on, we have to catch up with them!"

The cloud dissipated by the time Naruto and Yuni rushed out the window in pursuit; the chase had taken to the rooftops, and the two trailing Shinobi found it hard to keep in time with Sasuke's lead. Naruto, followed by Yuni, changed route and dashed across a few adjacent buildings to try and get ahead of Mizuki, yet the Chuunin kept track of their maneuvering, and instead they ended up simply closing the distance between themselves and Sasuke.

"Konohamaru really wanted to move ahead, you know," Naruto thought aloud. "That's probably how Mizuki-sensei got him to do all the dirty work."

Yuni nodded in agreement. "Konohamaru also lives in the Hokage Tower, which means he has easier access to the scroll. This is really important information, Uzumaki-san...shouldn't we tell someone about this?"

"There's no time! When they finally get around to believing us, it'll be too late, you know! We need to get to Konohamaru before something bad ha--"

Mizuki made a clone of himself and split directions, each one of him carrying an identical-looking scroll.

Naruto nearly stopped in his tracks. "Wait--what the heck?!"

"You two!" Sasuke commanded from up ahead, making a right. "Follow the other one!"

Naruto and Yuni complied and turned left, following Mizuki's second form into a portion of the village where the rooftops were more sparse and varied in height. After struggling to the top of a particularly high building, it wasn't long until Mizuki divided himself once more.

"Damn it! _Henjin_, you go left, I'll go r--" Naruto felt a tight grasp against the shoulder of his jacket, yanking him off-balance. He got back on his feet and spun around to face his teammate. "What the heck do you think you're doing?! We're going to lose him if we don't hurry up, you know!"

"Mizuki-sensei's going to keep cloning himself!" she pointed out. "He's trying to lead us further and further away from where Konohamaru is, but since we know where he's really headed, why don't we just go there instead?"

"Hey--you're right! Good thinking, _henjin_! Let's hurry up and get there before Mizuki-sensei realizes we're smarter than him!"

"Right!"

-

With the further help of Naruto's inexplicably thorough knowledge of village shortcuts, the Genin reached the East Konoha Gate in just under ten minutes, only to find the guards' posts abandoned and the immense, branded doors already slightly ajar.

"What?" asked Naruto, looking around. "Where is everyone?"

Yuni approached the entrance, shoving her shoulder against one side and pushing the opening wider so they could pass through. "No one knows about Mizuki-sensei but us, Uzumaki-san. He..." Reaching a standstill, she pressed harder. "He could have lied and said he was ordered to stand guard duty as the Jounin here searched for Konohamaru...or maybe he said the Hokage requested an audience with them...or maybe--"

The last push made door slide open rather quickly, forcing Yuni to stumble forward as she clung onto a corner of the wood for stability. She looked up, and her heart skipped a beat.

The outer region didn't appear much different from inside of the village, yet even though the exterior forests carried the same scent, the same trees, and even the same bird calls, it also possessed a curious atmosphere of mystery and novel wonder, one which was absent from the familiar comfort of their home.

They weren't supposed to be out here, and it felt wonderful.

Naruto, on the other hand, remained perfectly still, staring at the wooden panel by his feet: the last separation between the village's stone pathway and the dirt ground of the outside. He knew this was where he would end up from the start, and he promised himself he wouldn't make a big deal out of it, but for some reason his nerves were refusing to cooperate with him.

"Ah? Something wrong?"

Yuni's words hit his ears and he argues whether or not he should tell her the truth, fearing _another_ person he knew perceiving him as weak, or considering his concerns as foolish.

Naruto fought with himself, and honesty became the victor over dread.

"I've...I've never been outside the village before."

When she doesn't respond, he expects to find a poorly-masked expression of incredulity stuck on her face, and perhaps she'll scoff, or sigh, or say a bothered line about how he shouldn't be thinking of himself at a time like this.

A gentle hand rests on his shoulder, and he glances up.

She's standing in front of him, just past the thin boundary, and she smiles at him as if she understands.

"For Konohamaru."

He's jarred back to his senses, nodding once and making a small sound of acknowledgment.

And they run out without another word.

Konohagakure's political jurisdiction spanned a ten mile radius around the village itself, so as long as Mizuki was within this range, the Genin were still legally permitted to stop him. Despite the fact that lawful authorization was the last thing on their minds, it was common knowledge that no person Genin-level or under was allowed to leave Konoha's borders without a Chuunin-level or higher escort.

As Naruto and Yuni navigated blindly through the trees trying to detect even the slightest aura of Chakra, the notion of still occupying local ground made them feel safe. They were on home territory, which gave them advantage over the traitor. They were still in Konoha, and Konoha would protect them as she had always done.

That's when they heard the child scream.

"Oh!"

"KONOHAMARU!"

Targeting in on the source, they soon reached a small clearing of the exterior forest, where they discovered a struggling Konohamaru bound by rope and sitting on the ground, propped up against a tree.

"Let--me--GO, YOU BIG IDIOT! You won't get away with this! The whole entire village's prolly looking for me! If you don't let me go right now, you'll be in a lot of trouble!"

"Konohamaru!" Naruto yelled without thinking.

"Naruto-niisan!" he called back, sounding both frightened and relieved as he spotted his mentor in the bushes across the clearing. "Nii-san, I--I'm real, real sorry, about everything! Mizuki-sensei said it was a test from Granpa to see if I could handle real missions yet! He said if I could do it, I'd be allowed to shortcut through my training!"

Naruto waved his arms angrily in the air. "Stupid, what were you thinking?! Didn't I teach you anything about using shortcuts?!"

"Well, Granpa, an' Ebisu-sensei, an' everyone else said I wasn't strong enough to do anything besides what I was doing now! They made me do the same ol' stuff over and over and over again! Mizuki-sensei said if I passed, I get to learn new Jutsu from the scroll! I wanted to train harder with new techniques no one thought I could handle! I just wanted to prove myself!" He was shouting at the top of his lungs now, shutting his lids tight enough to force tears from the corners of his eyes. "I just wanted to be more like you, nii-san!"

"You see this? Your influence spreads everywhere, like a virus. It makes me want to puke."

Seeing Mizuki standing haughtily atop a tree branch above Konohamaru, Naruto stormed out from the cover of the forest, with an apprehensive Yuni tagging closely along behind him.

"Bastard..." he growled. "Taking advantage of a little kid like this...you'll pay f--"

Naruto's heart beat in his ears; his body control failed him and he collapsed, kneeling to the ground and pressing his hands hard against his temples.

"H--hey!" Yuni gasped, crouching down and putting her hands around his shoulders. "What's wrong?!"

He groaned. "It's...it's my head...it hurts...all of a sudden..."

"Looks like the Jutsu's finally taking effect," said Mizuki. "And if my timing's right, the Uchiha is probably just figuring out he's chasing a shadow clone."

"What did you do to Naruto-niisan?!" Konohamaru bellowed, kicking his legs around in a frenzy. "Why is he hurting like that?!"

With the scroll tied behind his back, Mizuki leapt down from the branch and faced the child. "Keep quiet, you little brat. You should be thankful you're even _alive_ right now."

Naruto felt the hold around him lift, and Yuni's form stand up next to him. Through his pain-blurred vision, he could vaguely see her hand move behind her until her fingers brushed against the kunai holster tied to the back of her waist.

"I'm not letting you leave with the Fuuin no Sho."

She appeared confident, but up close Naruto could see her forcing her knees together to stop herself from shaking. "_Henjin_..."

"I'm guessing this is the part when I ask what you plan on doing about it," Mizuki sneered, turning to face her.

Yuni pulled out two kunai and cast them simultaneously at Mizuki. The blades tore through the air, crossing paths in front of the Chuunin, missing their assumed target, and crossing paths again once they were behind him; the kunai then split in opposite directions, each bending around a tree and switching aim to shoot straight back towards their origin. Yuni folded her arms, expertly catching the handles of both passing blades between her middle and ring fingers, the tips of which were pressing against her palm.

"...was there a point to that?"

With a kunai facing her in either hand, she uncrossed her arms and performed the Bird hand seal. "Keitai Henka: Chakra Boushoku no Jutsu."

The near-invisible weave of blue Chakra lines tightened and hoisted Mizuki into the air between the two trees. Five lines were affixed onto the fingerhole of each kunai; four bound his arms and legs firmly against his body, while the last was taut around his neck.

"A form technique?" he hissed. "That isn't poss--"

Yuni wrapped a line around either index finger and stretched her arms out the sides of her, tightening the choke on him until his neck threatened to snap.

Her lines fell loose as she witnessed Mizuki go up in smoke.

"LOOK OUT!"

Yuni heard Konohamaru's warning and flipped backwards, watching Mizuki rush forward below to stab her from behind. She throws one of the kunai in her hands to wrap him in Chakra lines again, and then proceeds to cast the other knife. Mizuki catches the second blade with a free arm and uses it to tear through the glowing bands tangled around him; he yanks the first kunai, drawing Yuni along with it, and kicks her in the stomach, sending her colliding into a tree nearby Naruto.

Naruto watches in shock as Yuni falls to the ground and a pained expression flickers on her face. She attempts to get back up, but Mizuki throws her own kunai back at her, piercing her right shoulder and collar bone until she was unmoving against the bark.

"Now stay put."

Shaken leaves from the tree drift to fall around her; Naruto's eyes widen and he finds himself whispering her name. The throbbing inside of his head was slowly receding to a point of tolerance, an event he tried to take advantage of by straightening up shakily.

'**_If you stand by idly like this, you're going to be murdered._**'

Pain struck him down once more, draining all will and energy from him. The line uttered was deep and menacing, chilling enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end; the voice spoke through a mouth that sounded as if it were smiling.

"Who said that?" he asked frantically, sitting up and spinning to look behind him. "Who's there?!"

'**_No use looking around you, little boy. I'm up here. Inside your mind._**'

Every time the bodiless entity spoke, his head pounded more and more severely. '_My...mind? What...what is this? Some kind of Genjutsu?_'

'**_Understand this. I have lived too long and seen too much to allow it to end this way. Even though I despise your being to my core, I have no intention of perishing with you. Fight now or be killed._**'

Naruto could feel his eyes watering. Each word was like a stab to the brain.

'**_Do you want to die?_**'

'_Of course I don't want to die!'_ he thought loudly, trying to drown out the voice with his own. '_But this is too intense--I was barely able to pass the Genin exam, I'm not strong enough to go against a Chuunin! What can I do?_'

Having retreated to a small corner of the clearing, Mizuki set up an invisible square on the forest floor using four smaller pieces of paper marked with calligraphy. Mizuki lifted the scroll from his back and placed it in the center; he performed an intricate series of hand seals quicker than Naruto could make out, and the scroll seemed to vanish into thin air as the small papers spontaneously combusted and shriveled in the resulting flame.

'_What can I do?_'

Somewhere closeby was the muffled sound of Konohamaru crying, sobbing and whimpering in fear, and Naruto curses himself for not being able to save him from this mess sooner.

'_What can I do?!_'

"Uzumaki-san."

Naruto instantly looks up.

Yuni's pressing a hand to her shoulder in a futile attempt to stop the bleeding. Bright liquid trickled between her fingers and down her forearm like veins, pooling into her shirt's cloth and staining the elbow of her grey turtleneck red.

"Yuni-chan..."

"Please...you have to get Konohamaru out of here," she pleaded. "No matter what, you have to get him out of here...he's only a child."

"W--well, what are we?" Naruto asked, voice cracking as he fought against his temporary paralysis. "Aren't we the same?! I--I don't know what I was thinking, getting us into this--we were crazy to think we could do this alone, we shouldn't even be here!"

"Don't talk like that."

Naruto blinked, struggling with his breath as he fell silent. It was the first time he ever saw her look angry before.

"Even in the face of death..." she said. "We have to protect those who can't protect themselves."

"Isn't that precious?" Mizuki entered Naruto's line of vision, pressing a foot against Yuni's injured shoulder and yanking one of the kunai from her wound. "Believe what you want, but now that I've gotten the scroll to Orochimaru-sama, there's nothing either of you can do. So while you're sitting here being ineffective, why don't you go on and cry already, like a good kunoichi?"

Quivering, she laughed weakly. "Kill yourself."

Mizuki performed a move Naruto couldn't see and rendered Yuni unconscious. He then retreated to the opposite side of the clearing, and lifted Konohamaru single-handedly.

"N--no!" Naruto's head felt as if were going to split in two. "What...what are you doing with Konohamaru?!"

"You don't think I brought him all the way out here for nothing, do you?" Mizuki heaved the bound child over his shoulder. "He'll make a good bargaining chip."

With that, Mizuki ran away, cackling. The sounds of him rushing through the foliage were getting rapidly faint, and Konohamaru's cries were growing more and more distant.

'_Yuni-chan's right; I can't just let him get away with Konohamaru, I--I have to do something!_' Naruto roused himself. '_Think, think, think, what would be strong enough?! Transformation Jutsu...Replacement Jutsu...stupid useless school; why wasn't I ever taught anything I could actually use?! Maybe...the one I read off the scroll?_'

'**_The Kage Bunshin?_**' the voice snickered. '**_How do you expect to pull that off?_**'

'_I don't know! I've never been great with clones and I haven't practiced with it and I don't even know what it does, but it's the only chance I've got and it's better to try and fail than to sit around doing nothing!_'

'**_I admire your bravery, little boy, but you have no Chakra left. The only way you're accomplishing that is by borrowing my power._**'

'_Your...power?_'

'**_Yes. The only way you can activate it is if I let you._**'

In the far distance, Konohamaru called for his nii-san.

Naruto's eyes shot open.

Clenching his fists, he used whatever strength he had left to force himself to his feet. "I'm not sure what's going on here, but..." He stood up straight without falling over, the last action his remaining energy allowed him to perform. "Oi, _yosomono_. Show me what you can do."

Without warning, an unfamiliar feeling began swelling inside of him, overpowering his weakness and the incessant aching inside of his head. He could feel his Chakra being replenished with Chakra that wasn't his own, but instead a more tinted, intense, concentrated version which made him feel more confident than he had in his entire life.

Naruto ran up to his teammate, slumped over and unconscious against the tree trunk. He found that her heart was still beating, and she was still breathing, steadily. The only glaring risk was the amount of blood leaking from her open wound; he had to retrieve Konohamaru quickly before she lost too much.

"Yuni-chan," he whispered, pressing a light palm against the side of her face. "I'm going to go save Konohamaru, just like you asked, you know. Promise you won't don't die on me, okay?"

Naruto got up to leave, yet froze upon noticing something glowing under his shoe. He glanced down and saw he was stepping on a surviving Chakra thread leftover from Yuni's index finger, and leading off into the forest.

One of her lines was still attached to Mizuki.

So he followed it, and would have never guessed he had it in him to run this fast.

The trees were becoming nothing more than obscure green blurs to either side of him, yet somehow he could still focus ahead of himself, avoiding obstacles and tracking down Yuni's line with little to no effort whatsoever. He could feel he wasn't himself, but this concern was of no importance; right now, he had to save the little kid, the only person in the entire world who looked up to instead of down at him. Konohamaru had faith in Naruto, and Naruto wasn't about to prove it misplaced.

Besides, what kind of big brother would leave his little brother to the mercy of the enemy?

Finally, Naruto reached the end of Yuni's thread. He had taken quietly to the canopy branches as he found Mizuki escaping on the ground below. Konohamaru wasn't moving, leading Naruto to assume he either fainted or was subjected to the same Jutsu which caused Yuni's immobility.

Unwilling to wait any longer, Naruto reaches for his shuriken pouch.

"I should've known better than to think I could leave you alive."

Naruto gasped. His heightened senses attract his attention to the sharpened sound of a suddenly exposed blade; Naruto whipped around to face the shadow clone behind him, who had already spun and released a giant shuriken.

'**_Do it._**'

He instantly jumped aside to avoid it, pushing the index and middle fingers of either hand together to form a cross.

"TAJU KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

Mizuki stopped his run. "Wait--what?!"

A multitude of shadow clones spawned from out of nowhere, an indescribable force driving through them; one clone assured a long-since unconscious Konohamaru's safety, while the others focused their attention on Mizuki. A plethora of attacks struck him down easily, the succession quick enough to prevent him from performing any counter Jutsu or attempts to escape. The battle was won in the blink of an eye; the red energy evaporated as the original Naruto pinned a heavily beaten Mizuki to the ground beneath him. Naruto's body was still on fire from the power surge; his heart was beating faster than it ever had before. The kunai pressing hard against Mizuki's neck was being held by a trembling arm, drawing speckles of blood across the blade.

"I knew it," the Chuunin laughed.

'**_What are you waiting for?_**'

"You feel the voice in your head, don't you?"

'**_He kidnapped a child. He tortured your teammate. He betrayed your village._**'

"Telling you to kill me?"

'**_Death may be too good for him, but it's all you can offer._**'

"Listen to the monster inside of you."

'**_No one will blame you._**'

"Prove me right once and for all."

"SHUT THE FUCK _UP_!"

Naruto punched Mizuki clean across the face, splattering blood on his fist and leaving a considerable mark against the side of the Chuunin's jaw.

In spite of his immobility and obvious defeat, Mizuki began laughing again, letting a stream of blood leak from the side of his mouth. "You're worthless. You're as worthless as they all say you are."

"NO!" Naruto grabbed the man by the collar of his vest. "You're never worthless unless you let yourself believe you are! People have treated me like dirt since I can remember, so I always, _always_ made sure to believe in myself because I knew for sure no one else would, you know! But now I found out there's one person in this world who sees me whether I knew it or not, who cares about me whether I wanted them to or not, and that's more than enough to keep living for!"

"Iruka?" he snorted, the name rolling off his tongue like a bitter flavor. "You just don't get it, do you? Iruka only pretends to care to make himself feel better. He _hates_ you as much as anyone else in the village, and he's right in doing so. Haven't you ever wondered why you were such an outcast all your life? Why everyone despised you, ignored you, hated your existence for no good reason at all? It's because they all believe that deep down, you're just as depraved as the demon inside you."

Naruto's grip loosened slightly. "Wha...what are you talking about?!"

"Everyone knows it was buried deep in you until even your souls became one, but it became Hokage's Decree never to speak of it, especially in front of you. Everyone knows, everyone's always known, and you were the only one excluded from your own shame. Your entire life has been Konoha's best-kept secret..." Mizuki raised his neck, leaning in close enough to brush a whisper past the unsuspecting Genin's ear. "Kyuubi no Yoko."

Naruto's eyes widened. _The...Kyuubi?_ His heart was pounding briskly in his ears again, increasing in volume. _The fox who almost destroyed the village...who killed all those people? _He was beginning to lose touch: his entire body felt numb, and he could barely maintain hold of his opponent. _Inside...me?_ Pulse after pulse of emotion coursed through him, infinitely more painful than the outsider--the _Kyuubi_--whose presence echoed within the walls of his mind. Disbelief. Guilt. Depression. Rage. Through it all, and soon enough, he felt it.

Losing control of the unwelcome tears now streaming down his face, Naruto gritted his teeth and raised the kunai, feeling his clench on the handle tense impossibly further as all his hatred, confusion, and despair seemed to commingle upon the sharpened edge of his blade. He could no longer hear a thing around himself: not the sudden rustling of brush, not Sasuke's frantic, repeated calling of his name. A single passion burned within his heart; the immaculate wave of murderous intent was the last thing he allowed himself to feel, before his desires overwhelmed him and his hunger shoved the kunai downward.

A gloved hand grabbed his wrist before the knife graced skin.

Naruto turned to look up. A tall, grey-haired, uniformed figure stood before him, with a partial mask as his shield and a bright gleam of afternoon sun as his backdrop.

"Who...who are you?" the boy asks.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi," the stranger replies, his voice strong, yet amiable. "I'm your Jounin Squad Leader."

It's the last thing Naruto remembered before everything went black.

-


End file.
